[HPFGU-OTChatter] Re: threads converge: Alvin Ailey, gifts

[Laura Ingalls Huntley]

> The Sergeant Majorette says
>
> Which is the difference between a boyfriend and a boy friend. Ron
> gives a romantic gift to indicate that he is interested enough in her
> to have asked his mother and sister (you *know* he did) what a proper
> gift would be to a girl he likes; whereas Harry gives a gift with
> absolutely no symbolic meaning, it's just a present.
>
> The actual scent matters not at all; in fact, what she likes to smell
> like is none of his business at this point. It's the packaging:
> nothing makes a girl feel real like a fancy bottle she can display on
> her desk/dressing table for everyone to see. She gets to say, "Oh, my
> boyfriend gave me that..."
>

*indulges in an eye roll or two* Oh, please.  Is Hermione really that 
kind of girl?  I think the only reason she wasn't *annoyed* with the 
gift was that she knew that Ron had good *intentions*, but no 
experience.

And I still maintain that a book can be a very romantic gift, esp. when 
given to a girl like Hermione (just to state for the record, however, I 
*don't* think romance was Harry's intention in the case in question).

Just to be fair, I might as well state that I *am* an H/H shipper, 
albeit a pessimistic one.  As in, if I were a betting person, I'd bet 
in favor of JKR indulging in Ron/Hermione and *shudder* Harry/Ginny 
"Look at me! Look at me! Wallflower to Supergirl in Two Chapters Flat" 
Weasley.

I *do* find it a little odd that...Well, let me first state the 
hypothesis of a number of R/Hers that I've had the pleasure to converse 
with - that Hermione is waiting for Ron to grow up and admit his 
feelings for her - first to himself, and then to her (hopefully).  
Well, the perfume-giving was pretty indicative of Ron coming at least 
marginally to terms with his crush, right?  Especially if, as you 
theorized, he asked Molly and/or Ginny for advice?  So, I'm a little 
confused as to why Hermione didn't take her cue and move on in.

I guess there could be several reasons...i.e.  Hermione felt that she 
needed to concentrate on OWLs (quite possible), or she didn't actually 
catch on that it was a romantic gift (v. unlikely, IMO) or she's 
holding out for an all-out declaration of undying love (I wouldn't put 
it past her).

I suspect the *real* reason, however, is because JKR doesn't want to 
bring the final romantic pairings to a head until the climatic 7th 
book, in which Ron and Hermione have a disgustingly cute and awkward 
love affair which leaves Harry as the odd-man out, therefore causing 
him to spend more time with Ginny "Damsel in Distress. Wait, No, I 
Meant Paradigm of Girl Power" Weasley, who he has been noticing more 
and more ever since the beginning of 6th year.

*valiantly resists the urge to be violently ill*

Laura (who is absolutely *dreading* those inevitable "innocent" little 
throw-away thoughts in which Harry observes that Ginny is actually 
quite brave, good at Quidditch, smart, witty,  etc. which will occur in 
book six.)